Nasim Pedrad Comedy ‘Chad’ Gets TBS Series Order

1 week ago

TBS has given a 10-episode series pickup to Chad, Nasim Pedrad’s single-camera comedy pilot starring the Saturday Night Live alumna as a 14-year-old pubescent Persian boy.

The order marks a happy ending to the project’s long journey to the screen, which was first developed at Fox and 20th Century Fox TV four years ago and went to pilot. TBS’ version of the project, which has been reworked for cable, comes from Studio T. (See teaser above).

In Chad, the title character (Pedrad) navigates his first year of high school on a mission to become popular. Chad’s friendships and sanity are pushed to the limits as he uses every tactic at his disposal to befriend the cool kids, while enduring his mother’s new dating life and reconciling with his cultural identity.

“I’m so grateful to TBS for believing in Chad and giving an adult woman the opportunity to live her dream of playing a jarringly awkward teenage boy, while also running the show behind the camera,” says Pedrad, Chad’s creator, writer, executive producer and co-showrunner.

The Saturday Night Live alumna Pedrad will be exec producing/running the series with Hayes Davenport,

The Iranian-American actress is joined by co-stars Ella Mika, as Chad’s younger sister; Saba Homayoon, as Chad’s mother; Paul Chahidi, playing a distant relative; Jake Ryan, playing Chad’s best friend and Alexa Loo, playing a classmate.

“Thom Hinkle and I pursued this show for three years and it was well worth the wait. Chad is creative, diverse and inclusive storytelling that epitomizes the TBS brand,” said Brett Weitz, general manager of TBS and TNT. “Nasim Pedrad is a comedic mastermind and profound storyteller.”

At TBS, Chad joins such series as breakout Miracle Workers and hit The Last O.G.